Missing the Movie
by Neneithel
Summary: In 1971, Harry and Charles (Daniel's nephew) have gone to see a movie, but Daniel has business elsewhere. Written for the Bond challenge at Steele Writing.


**_Missing the Movie._**

The cold rain soaked rapidly through Daniel's coat as he waited. It wasn't the first time he had done this, but usually it didn't involve British intelligence and freezing cold London streets. He looked at his watch. He hoped to have finished with this before the boys got back from their movie.

A man walked obliquely towards him, trying to look inconspicuous. Daniel tried to conceal a smirk. Harry and Charles knew better. He'd told them, "Never try to blend in, just know that you belong there and no-one will question it." Still, it wasn't his operation. He waited patiently.

The man leant against the wall nearby and fumbled with a cigarette. "Do you have a light?" he said.

"Sure." said Daniel, handing him a lighter.

"You're Chalmers?"

"Mostly." said Daniel, "You're Blake?"

"Tonight." said Blake, "So, what's a Yank doing running errands for us?"

"Favour for a friend." said Daniel, "Can we get on with this? I have to be somewhere else."

"You understand the situation? As far as the public is concerned, MI6 does not exist."

"Same here." said Daniel, "So if something goes wrong, I'm on my own?"

"We'll get you out of trouble. We're a little more careful with our people than the CIA. Just don't talk too much."

"I can keep a secret." said Daniel.

The man handed him a piece of paper. "Don't let this get into the wrong hands."

Daniel looked at it, a list of eight names with numbers. He knew some of the numbers, they represented cities, one was Marrakesh. He muttered them to himself, getting used to the rhythm of each name with the corresponding number. He gave the list back. "Destroy it."

"That would make the delivery a little difficult." said Blake.

"I can write the list out when I get there." said Daniel.

"How will you remember?"

"Same way I remember where all the cards are. It's what I do. I could teach you to do it too, given time, and incentive."

Blake shook his head. "You didn't have time to memorise it."

"Donald Beecher, Alistair Rickman, Paul Banner ... Do you need the numbers too, or shall I do it by city, Marrakesh, Vienna, Prague ... "

"I may have to recruit you."

"I do favours for friends, my allegiance is not for sale." said Daniel.

"How about your skill?"

"The private sector pays better, often without knowing."

"You need to get to see Trent without anyone knowing. I suggest you wait in the bar, he goes there most evenings."

"And chats to strange men?" said Daniel.

"No, but ... "

"Better leave it to me. I happen to keep a clipboard in my car."

"A clipboard?"

"I have to go. You just let me handle the details." said Daniel.

He collected the clipboard and carefully locked his car before hailing a cab and heading to Trent's hotel. He went up the stairs to the third floor, a fire on the third floor was more difficult to check out than one on the first and it would take longer to cancel the alert.

He set off the alarm and then followed the helpful instructions about evacuation. Outside, in the car park, he strutted about with his clip board, taking names and room numbers. "I'm still missing a Trent and a Blake." he said.

A man raised his hand. "I'm Tom Trent." he said.

Daniel hurried over. "If I could just get some details from you ... " He asked banal questions as he jotted down the list of names and numbers and handed it to Trent. "That's your copy."

"Be careful." whispered Trent, "The waiter over there is a KGB officer named Lebedev."

Daniel nodded. "Thanks, Sir, that seems to cover everything." He asked a few more questions of a few more people and then headed back to the taxi. "Someone is about to try to follow us." he said, "I'll give you a hundred pounds if you lose them within five minutes."

"A hundred quid? Who's following you? The law? The Mafia?"

"The wife." said Daniel, "Step on it."

There followed a chase that seemed to take in half of London and that showed scant respect for the rules of the road. Harry would have loved it. As they careered around corners and dodged in and out of parking areas, Daniel reflected that London cabbies made the New York version seem positively timid. It was a great comfort at such times to reflect that there was every chance he could bluff his way into Heaven on a technicality.

Within five minutes, the car was lost. Daniel paid double the fare, plus two hundred pounds. Before getting out, he said, "Now find her again and lead her to Croydon, but take no risks and don't stop until you've lost her again."

The man grinned. "Off to see a girlfriend, are we?"

Daniel winked. "Good luck."

"Same to you. Your wife is persistent."

Daniel took another cab to his car. He drove back to the town house. Every light in the place seemed to be on. He went in. "I'm home!" he said.

Charles came out of the study. "I hope your business meeting was worth missing possibly the best movie ever."

"Better than Goldfinger?" said Harry from the study.

"Well, maybe not better, but as good, and it had diamonds in it. I like diamonds."

"They're a girl's best friend, I understand." said Harry, he poked his head around the door. "Come here, Daniel, I'll tell you why you need to see Diamonds Are Forever."

"I don't know, Harry. All that cloak and dagger stuff, it's really not for me." said Daniel.

"You know your problem, Danny, old mate? You're boring."

_**The End.**_


End file.
